The VCU campus.
For a second consecutive year, the VCU Board of Visitors has voted to freeze undergraduate tuition. (File photo)

May 8, 2020

No tuition increase to VCU’s 2020-21 budget

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By Mike Porter

The Virginia Commonwealth University Board of Visitors voted Friday to freeze tuition for in-state and out-of-state undergraduate and graduate students for the 2020-21 academic year. This is the second consecutive year that the board has voted to freeze undergraduate tuition.

The board also voted to increase some mandatory student fees in the 2020-21 academic year. The University Fee will increase by $102, the Technology Fee will increase by $2 and the Library Fee will increase by $10. The increased fees are the result of anticipated increases in contractual costs and health benefits and the need to provide services in multiple formats due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the Capital Outlay Fee, which applies to out-of-state students, will increase by $30. Rate increases for the academic year, including those for advanced degrees, housing, dining and parking rates can be found at mytuition.vcu.edu.

Typical in-state undergraduate students enrolled in 15 credits per semester will pay $14,710 in tuition and mandatory fees in the 2020-21 academic year. Out-of-state undergraduate students’ tuition and mandatory fees are set at $36,048.

VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D., said that while the university faces an unprecedented budget challenge, the tuition freeze acknowledges that students and families have suffered economic hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our students and their families have been hit hard by the COVID-19 crisis. Many students and their parents have lost their jobs and face tough financial situations that threaten their plans to start or continue their college educations,” Rao said.

VCU has received $10 million in federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding for students suffering hardships during the pandemic. The VCU COVID-19 emergency relief funding application site went live May 1. In addition, the VCU student emergency fund may provide one-time financial assistance with unexpected emergency expenses. Students with financial aid questions may call (844) 348-5073 around the clock.

The Board of Visitors will vote on the university budget on June 5. More information about the budget is available at https://budget.vcu.edu.